"So, how long have you been playing SAO?"

The voice from the kitchen resonated through the small home, its honey and silk tones bringing Kirito the greatest listening pleasure. Such a pleasant sound, in fact, that he forgot to respond.

Briefly, Asuna peeked out kitchen. She was wearing a pair of white hot pants and a loose muscle shirt, its wide open sides exposing Asuna's prominent serratus anterior, her sharp obliques, and the subtle swell of her breasts. All of these were restrained by a rather cute cooking apron which strained to remain affixed to her person, her rippling muscles threatening to tear the relatively tiny garment. "Kirito?"

He jumped, nearly sending his steaming cup of tea flying. "Y-yes?"

She looked at him with the most caring eyes he'd ever had set on him. It felt like heaven, to be looked at like that, "How long have you been playing SAO?"

Kirito almost lost himself again, but managed to retain a sliver of composure, "W-well, since the beta. I hopped onto VR quick and I've been…" Kirito's arms wrapped around himself, and he realized he should probably stop talking when Asuna disappeared back into the kitchen, "S-sorry, I hate to sound like a, uh... like a nerd."

He heard a chuckle from the kitchen. "It's okay, you don't have to apologize for being yourself. You were saying when you started playing VR?"

Kirito could hear the smile in her voice, and he perked up again, "I started playing in '21, when all the half and full-dive stuff started coming out. When the beta for SAO came out I was super ecstatic. It was amazing! I could touch things and eat things!" Kirito's smile was making his cheeks sore, but it dimmed as he moved on, "I talked about it in school and all my friends called me a nerd and a trend-hopper… then they started just making things up. Saying that I stole my headset 'cuz my mom is… less than wealthy, and that I…" he shivered, a sneer of disgust pulling at his lips, "I… have less than brotherly relations with my sister…"

Asuna peeked out of the kitchen, the anger in her eyes barely overtaken by curiosity, "Brotherly?"

Kirito paled. Oh, shit. Beans = spilled. Fuck. "Sisterly! Sister-to-sister! I'm not brother! I'll be your gf for 50 gp daily v cheap armor trimming will double gp free!" The phrases, which were alien to Asuna, spilled from his mouth as he cowered behind arms upraised in defense.

He felt a pair of warm hands on his cheeks. Gently, they pivoted his gaze upwards, towards hers. "Kirito, it's okay. I mean, incest isn't okay but you're okay."

Kirito felt his panic slough away as Asuna's words washed over him. "I-I mean it's not me who does the incest stuff… We're not even real siblings, it's just... She, like," Kirito shivered "Wants to fuck me? Or something? My mom won't do anything about it…"

Asuna cocked her head and gave Kirito an empathetic look. "That's unfortunate, Kirito. Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Kirito looked back up at her. "H-how?"

Asuna smiled. "Show me your player profile."

Kirito's eyes widened, and he felt panic gripping his chest again. "Wh-what! I can't do that, I hardly know you!"

Asuna realized how she sounded, and quickly held up her hands in front of her. "Wait! I don't mean it like that," She opened her menu and held up her own player profile, the personal identity information bio that NerveGear requires to make an account. "This is mine… Me."

Shock ran through Kirito's body as he read her profile. Yuuki Asuna, 18, Toyama Prefecture, No criminal record, Senior at Toyama High School.

"Wait, you're…" Kirito's jaw went slack. Numbly, he showed his own profile. Kirigaya Kazuto, 17, Toyama Prefecture, No criminal record, Senior at Toyama High School.

Asuna's brows rose quickly, and a smile slowly crawled across her face. "Kazuto?"

Kirito cringed. "I don't like that… please call me Kirito."

Asuna nodded. "Hai, Kirito-kun."

"Yeah… I'm a guy." He said sadly.

Asuna frowned and laid a hand on Kirito's shoulder. "No," Asuna insisted. "You're Kirito."

The words took hold of Kirito's heart, making him swoon.

"If you ever have a problem with your sister, or anything, please," Asuna typed out a message to Kirito, "Call me. I have a car, I can pick you up and we can hang out. Is that okay?"

In the corner of his vision, a message from Asuna appeared, no doubt it was her phone number. He smiled a little. He was speaking to the person he'd seen every year in high school, the person who always looked back at him with caring caramel orbs, even though they were always separated by their schedules. "Y-yeah, that sounds cool."

Asuna beamed and wrapped her huge, strong arms around Kirito. "I like you, Kirigaya-kun."

Kirito was a little overwhelmed, but Asuna's hold on him made him feel secure. "I l-like you, too."